Draft-equalizing mechanism.



PATENTED AUG. 23, 1904.

I P. HANSON. DRAFT BQUALIZING MECHANISM,

APPLICATION FILED JULY 6, 1903. L

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, 1 Kw i W ,E Q S s IOv Patented August 23, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL HANSON, OF ST. PAUL, MINNESOTA.

DRAFT-EQUALIZING MECHANISM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 768,045, dated August 23, 1904.

Application filed July 6, 1903. Serial No. 164,451. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL HANSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Paul, in the county of Ramsey and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Draft-Equah izing Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to draft-equalizing mechanism.

The object of. the invention is to provide a construction which is simple and efficient and economical of manufacture for equalizing the pull or draft of horses or the like.

A further object of the invention is to provide a draft-equalizing mechanism'which may be readily accommodated to two, three, or four horses, as may bedesired, and without the necessity of supplying special parts or mechanism for making the change from one to the other.

A further object of the inventionis to provide a draft-equalizing mechanism in which the side draft created when two or more horses are placed upon one side of the tongue of the machine is reduced to a minimum.

Other objects of the inventionwill appear more fully hereinafter.

The invention consists, substantially, in the construction, combination, location, and arrangement of parts, all as will be more fully hereinafter set forth, as shown in the accompanying drawings, and finally pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, and to the various views and reference-signs appearing thereon,'Figure 1 is a view somewhat in perspective of a draft-equalizing mechanism embodying the principles of my of a spreader-strut B, said spreader-strut extending transversely to one side of the tongue.

D designates a brace for the spreader-strut, the bolt C serving to secure said brace to the tongue at one end, the other end of said brace being suitably secured to the strut.

Preferably the'inner end of the strut B is applied to the under side of the tongue, as most clearly shown in Fig. 3, and the bolt 0, passing through the brace D, tongueA, and strut B, is provided with a nut on the lower end thereof serving to pivotally clamp these parts together.

K designates the inner 'and M the outer doubletree, to the respective ends of each of which areconnected swingletrees A. One

of the swingletrees A of the outer doubletree- M may be made removable, as indicated, by means of bolt B, Fig. 1, for a purpose presently to be described. The outer doubletree M is pivotallyconnected in a convenient manner to the outer end'of the spreader-strut B.

In apparatus of the character to which this invention relates it is desirable that the space between the tongue and the outer horse, where two or more horses are employed on the same side of the tongue, be as limited as possible in order to reduce the side draft upon the machine. In order to. accomplish this result, the inner swingletree of the outer doubletree M and the outer swingletree of the inner doubletree K should be brought into closer relationthatv is, in the case of a four-horse evener, as shown in Fig. 1, and in the case of a threehorse evener the outer swingletree, shown in Fig. 2 and which is connected to the spreaderstrut B, should be brought into as close relation as possible with the outer swingletree of the inner doubletree K. This close relation should be so arranged as to prevent-or to avoid rubbing or interference of the traces, respectively connected to the adjacent ends ofthese swingletrees. In order to accomplish these results, I arrange the doubletrees M and K to operate in different horizontal planes.- To this end the spreader-strut B is applied to the under side of the tongue A, as above explained, and the inner doubletree K is pivotally supported upon the inner end of a supportingbrace-E, the otherend of said supporting brace being pivotally connected to the spreader-strut B and bent upwardly over and transversely across the tongue A, as clearly shown in the drawings. In practice the outer end of this supporting-brace is bent and is arranged to pass through a hole formed in the spreader-strut B. This bent end of brace E may also pass through the outer end of the brace-arm D, as indicated at F, the extreme bent end of brace E being threaded to receive a nut whereby these parts may be pivotally clamped together. In this manner the inner doubletree K is raised above the horizontal plane in which the outer doubletree M vibrates, thereby enabling the doubletree M to be set in closer relation to the tongue without danger of rubbing or interference of the traces, and hence reducing side draft to a minimum.

H designates the equalizing-lever, pivotally connected or strapped in the ordinary or usual manner to the tongue.

Gr designates the inner draft-rod, hooked at one end into a hole formed in one end of the equalizing-lever H at its opposite end, as indicated at J, the bent end J passing through a central opening or hole through doubletree K and through a hole or opening in the supporting end of brace E, as clearly shown.

L designates the outer draft-rod, said draftrod being hooked at one end into a hole or opening formed in the other end of equalizinglever H and bent at its outer end, as indicated at C, said bent end forming a pivotal connection between the outer doubletree M and the outer end of the spreader-strut B, said bent end passing through a hole centrally of the outer doubletreeM and through ahole formed in the outer end of the spreader-strut.

The equalizing-lever H is provided with a series of holes at each end thereof, so as to vary the point of connection of the draft-rods G and L thereto, as may be desired, in order to properly distribute the load to be imposed upon the horses on one side or the other of the tongue, the shifting of the connections of the draft-rods to the arms of the equalizinglever serving to alter or vary the leverage exerted by the pull of the horses. The equalizing-lever H is also provided with holes or openings D E therein at various points with reference to its longitudinal center to receive the pivot-bolt E, by which it is pivotally connected to the tongue, thus also affording means for distributing and equalizing the pull or load imposed upon the horses.

In Fig. 1 the device is shown arranged for a four-horse evener.

In Fig. 2 the device is shown as arranged for a three-horse evener. In this connection and arrangement the outer doubletree M is removed and one of the swingletrees A thereof is removed therefrom and pivotally connected in a hole (indicated by dotted lines at F in Fig. 1) in the spreader-strut B. At the same time the equalizing-lever H is shifted in one direction or the other with reference to the leverage of the arms thereof or the draft-links G and L are shifted as to their equalizing-lever end connections in order to properly distribute the leverage exerted by the pull of the horses.

When it is desired to employ only two horses, the spreader-strut B and its associated doubletree M and swingletrees A, together with the equalizing-lever H and draft-rods G L, are removed, as is also the supportingbrace E for the inner doubletree, and the bolt C is employed for pivotally securing the doubletree K to the tongue. The thickness of the doubletree K corresponding with the thickness of the spreader-strut B at the point where the latter is applied to the tongue, it will be seen that the bolt G is adapted to secure or pivotally connect the doubletree K to the tongue when the spreader-strut B is removed. In this event the brace I) may be swung around into parallel relation with the tongue and secured thereto through the hole (indicated at I) by means of the bolt E, said bolt being removed with the equalizing-lever H, and in this relation the strap or brace I) will serve the purpose of a hammer-strap From the foregoing description it will be seen that I provide an exceedingly simple and efficient and economical apparatus for eq u alizing the draft and which is adapted for use with either two, three, or four horses and without the necessity of employing special parts.

It will also be seen that I am enabled to bring the horses used on one side of the tongue into close relation with respect to the tongue, thereby reducing side draft to a minimum, and it will also be seen that I make provision of means whereby the load may be distributed upon the draft-horses according to the abilities of such horses.

It will also be seen that I provide an apparatus which is inexpensive and light without sacrificing anything of strength or durability.

Having now set forth the object and nature of my invention and a construction embodying the principles thereof, what I claim as new and useful and of my own invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In adraft-equalizing mechanism, the combination with a tongue, a spreader-strut pivotally connected at one end to the under side of said tongue, draft appliances pivotal] y connected to the outer end of said strut, a supporting-brace carried by said strut and extending over and above the tongue, draft appliances pivotally connected to said brace, an equalizing-lever pivotally mounted upon the tongue, and draft-rods pivotally connected at the respective ends thereof to the ends of said equalizing-lever and to said brace and strut, as and for the purpose set forth.

'2. In a draft-equalizing mechanism,atongue', a spreader-strut, a supporting-brace therefor,a bolt pivotally connecting said brace, tongue and strut together, a supporting-brace having a bent end arranged to extend through said strut and first-mentioned brace, a doubletree pivotally connected to the other end of said supporting-brace, and draft appliances respectively connected to said doubletree and strut, as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a draft-equalizing mechanism, a tongue, a spreader-strut arranged to be applied to the under side of said tongue, a brace for said strut, a bolt passing through "said brace,-tongue and strut to pivotally clamp these partstogether, a supporting-brace having a bent end, arranged to pass through said first-mentioned brace and strut, said supporting-bracehaving an opening in the other end thereof, a doubletree, a draft-rod having a bent end, arranged to pass through said doubletree and the opening in the end of said supporting-brace, a draft-rod arranged to engage the outer end of said strut, draft appliances connected to said strut, and an equalizing-lever to which the other ends of said draft-rods are connected;

all combined and arranged asand for the pur- -to accommodate two, three or four horses, as

and for the purpose set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand, this 29th day of J une,-1903, in the presence of the subscribing witnesses.

7 PA L HANSON. Witnesses:

CHAS. H. SEEM, S. E. DARBY; 

